Edinburgh school bans children from dressing up for Halloween as it's not 'inclusive'

A SCHOOL in Edinburgh has decided to ban children from dressing up in costumes for Halloween fearing that the celebration was not "inclusive."

The St David's RC Primary School's parent council said they wanted children to dress as they wished and claimed it will "not put any additional strain on family budgets and be inclusive of all students".

Last year, too, the school had banned students from dressing up for the October 31 celebrations.

The school's decision has irked some parents, with one telling the Edinburgh Evening News that no "religion or politics" should interfere with children.

They said: "St David's Primary is situated right next to Pirniehall Primary School.

"Last year it was so lovely to see the other kids from Pirniehall having fun and ours weren't allowed to because we were told the decision had been made by the parent council to not let the kids dress up because 'some families don't celebrate Halloween.'

“I felt so sad for the kids.

"No religion or politics should interfere with children.

“It feels like back to the dark century where children have no voice and parents can decide everything they do for them."

The furious parent added that Edinburgh was one of the most tolerant cities in the UK, and children shouldn't be told they cannot celebrate Halloween as "it's not our culture."

The parent said: "Throughout the year the children are taught about other religions; they go to mosques, they learn about celebrating Ramadan and more.

"I am shocked, we are living in Edinburgh one of the most tolerant cities in the UK, but we have been told our children can't celebrate Hallowe'en at school because 'it's not our culture'."

Meanwhile, a council spokesman defended the decision saying "parents councils take account of different views when making decisions about after school activities in order to meet the needs of as many families as possible.”